Cathy Lanier, police chief in the District of Columbia and noted anti-gun stalwart, was interviewed by Anderson Cooper on “60 Minutes” about what ordinary people should do in the case of a mass shooting such as the Paris attacks. “Your options are run, hide and fight,” she replied. “If you’re in a position to try and take the gunman down, to take the gunman out, it’s the best option for saving lives before police can get there.”
This is good advice on the surface; despite the frequent line about waiting for police, everyone knows that emergency responders cannot be on the scene immediately. But how are civilians in D.C. supposed to “take out” a mass shooter? With a football tackle and a whole lot of luck? It seems like allowing residents to freely exercise their Second Amendment rights would have a much more successful outcome.